Naruto 304

[RyougaZell]

RAW:
http://home.exetel.com.au/battle_franky/index.html/Franky%20House/NARUTO%20-%20304.zip

Translation by ratfox from mangahelpers:
hxxp://mangahelpers.com/forum/index.php?topic=3224.0


EDIT after watching/reading:

Welcome to the "I was changed by Naruto" club.
Even with the previous line I kinda liked the chapter. Better than last weeks at least it was.
The last page was evil... can't wait to see next chapter.

[metrite]

Sob, naruto is such a happy manga at times like these.
Let's just hope Orochimaru eats Sai in chapter 305.

[darkshadow]

Oro is so gonna rape those 2 boys next chapter.

[Edort4]

Sai changed way too fast, it surprised me, on the other hand like always kabuto is the best. He is supposed to be bad but he is always giving advices and telling almost all the truth to his enemies (I think of him like the hisoka of naruto). I hope that he still has some major part in naruto.

Orochimaru is going to rape those two, and I believe that Sai is going to sacrifice himself to save naruto, or let them escape or something similar. His character is to sad to have a happy end and we are in need of some "important" dead so...

Lets see how kishimoto handles this, its clear that something has to happen. I couldnt stand another meaningless fight with a draw and a retire. I hope we see a dead or two, sasuke changed into a bad guy (wich will make sakura hate him and naruto forget a bit about retreaving him, hopefully!). There are many posibilities, maybe akatsuki is watching this fights to take an advantage to kill orochimaru, waiting for their moment to strike and we can see some kind of collaboration to defeat them.

Time will tell. But something tells me that kishi isnt going to fulfill my desires of blood. :mad:

[dragon608608]

I wonder how Naruto and Sai going to fight with Orochimaru. Sai clearly is no match for Orochimaru, Naruto has his Kuuybi seal and still taking the damage from the last Kuuybi transformation. Rasengan was useless with Orochimaru (he can easily avoid it) even if Naruto want to do the Summon No Jutsu, the place is too small for the boss frog. Sai sacrifice himself to save Naruto? How? All the Orochimaru has to do is summon a small snake that able to go in his underground cave (you don't think that Orochimaru chose just any cave to stay, do you?) Snake sense people by body heat; therefore, it won't be affect by Sai's genjutsu, and they come by the number too. Therefore, Naruto and Sai won't be escape easily (even with Sakura and Yamato's help) unless, of course, by Sasuke's help. We all know that Orochimaru doesn't wish to kill Sasuke (at least not yet). In addition, Sasuke learn Orochimaru's ninjutsu plus he stay in that cave for sometime now. He could easily get in and out with much trouble. If that happen, then Naruto and Sasuke have to confront each other. I wonder what will happen.

[Sidnne]

At least they didn't waste any more time before getting back to looking for Sasuke. That's my favorite part of the manga. The only reason I read it is to watch them search for Sasuke week after week after week.


Sai sacrifice himself to save Naruto? How? All the Orochimaru has to do is summon a small snake that able to go in his underground cave (you don't think that Orochimaru chose just any cave to stay, do you?) Snake sense people by body heat; therefore, it won't be affect by Sai's genjutsu, and they come by the number too. Therefore, Naruto and Sai won't be escape easily (even with Sakura and Yamato's help) unless, of course, by Sasuke's help.

This is a manga, not real life. Snakes don't have to sense body heat if Kishi doesn't want them to. And Oro doesn't have to summon a small snake to go in his underground cave if Kishi doesn't want him to.

It is very plausible that Sai dies by the end of this arc, whether he sacrifices himself to save Naruto or by other means. Characters such as Sai are often introduced into a story for the purpose of learning a lesson, and/or helping another character learn a lesson, and then they are removed from the story one way or another, ala Chiyo.

Sai has already learned his lesson and changed his ways. In doing so, he has now betrayed three groups: Konoha, Orochimaru, and now Roots. He can redeem himself with Konoha by helping Naruto, but he will be hunted by both Orochimaru and Roots. It would be fitting for his character to die while trying to protect Naruto and would also work with the style of the Naruto manga.

[SOLDIER [X]]

Sai will die at the hands of Sasuke and it'll be the turning point for him where there is no going back after killing a good guy. Usually are always one of those cliche type people in any story/movie/manga.

[Terracosmo]

I can't believe this.

How can it be this predictable?
How come every fucking person know someone who Naruto reminds them of?
How come that foxbastard even can change people?

Man, this manga sucks.

[LobsterMagnet]

Sai may still be a traitor, I'm not placing any final bets until all the cards are placed face up on the table. I mean think about it, Sai had been found out right? He was captured by Yamato and company. In his situation the best way to join Orchimaro again would be to rejoin Yamato and co so he could proceed with his infiltration mission. Who knows maybe Sai will hold down naruto as Orchimaro impales him with his sword.

Honestly I'm looking forward to seeing naruto's encounter with the new and improved sasuke. Kabuto seems to imply that sasuke's personality has changed quite a bit in the past two and half years. Here's hoping that kishimoto comes up with something interesting for next week.

[darkmetal505]

LOL, I laughed at Sai's change of heart. For someone bred for no emotions and to be badass (except his wardrobe), you probably get the point. Each chapter I hope for something better, but I guess Terra is right. Terrible. Kabuto kicking butt was cool.

[The Heretic Azazel]

Yamato and Naruto sure are trusting of someone who changed his mind so out of the blue. Like it never even happened.

Being in Orochimaru's lair of all places, I'd be wary of someone who had such a convenient change of heart.

[xDarkMaster]

304 MQ Scanlation (http://www.toughisntenough.com/304.zip)

I feel like we are getting cheated with these chapters. Predictable story. No Action. No Sasuke. SHORT.

[rockmanj]

That was kinda ridiculous. Hopefully its a ploy by sai, otherwise the manga just got gayed up by a factor of 10.

[Yukimura]

Meh, this manga has ben reduced to a huge steaming pile of Meh. Nothing has happened, for like 2 months. The only promising encounter (Kyubi vs Oro) was ended extremely prematurely and even that was almost more fluff than actual happening. Maybe this is just a plot heavy part of the anime but it just doesn't feel like the old Naruto, too much mystery and sneakness, no actual taking action. Maybe it's cuz Kakashi's laid up, Yamato seems to be a pretty cautious and laid back type, maybe his leadership style is what's making things seem dull but dull this is.

[The Heretic Azazel]

Sorry, Yamato is boring. BORING. There is nothing that stands out with him in the slightest. He's uninteresting, he's dull, he's....celery. He's fucking celery.

[rockmanj]

What do you expect? He's as exciting as WOOD!! Whcih elemant he comes from, and since he's just an imitation, he's like fake wood.

[Raven]

Maybe this is all a big plan to make them (and us) think Sai is one of the good guys again.

Either way, this is getting dumb. Even if Sai did actually change then, it was insanely quick. I would have thought it would happen over a period of many chapters, with gradual personality changes, little things here and there. Not one panel of shocked eyes then grabbing Kabuto from behind.

Hopefully this is all an act. If it's not, Kishimoto's character development strategies seem to have gone down the proverbial toilet.

[DDBen]

I honestly don't believe Sai would modify his book on a bold face lie. Which means that his change of heard is ment to be for real. Overall this was really a pretty unbelieveable chapter I can't see any reason Kabuto isn't dead in a pile of his own blood by now.

[dragon608608]

Hey, when you use somebody, you better trust him. If you don't trust him, you better off not using him at all. Plus I think DDBen was right, the book was show the evident that Sai's exist. I don't think Sai willingly to trash it when it is not necessary (especially alone in front of the injury Naruto). The picture of his brother that he has long forgot has been drawn show that Sai is now reconnect with his emotion. Plus, with Kabuto's aid, it is true that Sai and Kabuto combine power may not be a match for Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura's combine power, but if Sai really want to, escaping with Kabuto back to the lair is not impossible. In there, Orochimaru could easily assisst them. Even without Orochimaru's assisst, Kabuto's knowledge of the lair lay out could easily help them to escape. So why didn't Sai do it? Why did Sai help catch Kabuto if he just fake out? Think about it.

[Onineku]

I believe this might one way or another end up to become a face off between sasuke, naruto and sakura in which they all summon their bosses. Ala three sannin fight...

[RasenDori]

why are we complaining about sai now? we all knew it was gonna happen. however the part about naruto reminding him of his brother was way too cliche.

i dont think sai will die. not yet at least. now that hes a good guy he has too much of a role to play. after this arc is done konoha has some cleaning up to do. i think that the point of this story arc, plot wise, is not to bring sasuke back to the leaf, but to spark a cilvil war. sai will play a pivotal role in that seeing as how hes the only good guy with information on how roots works.

i predict that oro sasuke and kabuto (and maybe a few usless sound nins) will assist root in this war, and naruto will have to stay in konoha to fight. meaning this would be the best opportunity for the akatsuki to track him down. and isnt there a chuunin exam coming up too? that may play a role.

of couse i could be wrong and kishi may just have sai killed off in this arc... but what are the chances of that?

[Sidnne]

Sai's role was to become good through some moral lesson taught to him by Naruto, which he has now fulfilled. He can be effectively killed off at this point.

Kishimoto would be making a mistake if he had this arc lead into a civil war in Konoha. He has too many lose ends in the story already when you consider Orochimaru, Sasuke, and Akatsuki all about. There are too many questions that he still has to answer; to add another conflict at this point would be overkill imo.
Plus, Roots' plan to destroy Konoha depended on Sai acting as the go between for Roots and Oro. He pretty much said that he was the only one capable because of his abilities to send his drawings out with the information. Now that Sai has had a change of heart, I think its pretty safe to consider Roots' plans thwarted.

[Lithonite]

Naruto's powe is to change peoples hearts.. yeah it was rater esy and quik with but he isnt a major character anyway... he will die soon. unless Naruto goes kyuubi( which his body cant take ) something drastic has to happen.. or that not Orochimaru, and its sasuke. If Oro know tat one of his hideouts is exposed... he isnt going to have anyone escaping sasuke willhave to play a role here otherwise Yamato, sakura, Sai, and even Naruto are going to die...

Since naruto cant die something majorly drastic willhave to happen here. Akatsuki culd also be following Naruto, and have now found Orochimaru what ever the case i guessse its pretty evident that Sai is dead meat, i think it will be best is Sasuke kills him jsut for the effect it will have on Naruto and Sakura..

i am very much looking forward to next week. I jsut love Orochimaru he makes the story fun doesnt he.

[ChaosK]

That was full of sugary gayness. Now the naruto love story has become a triangle. Sai-->Naruto-->Sasuke. And Kishimoto just makes the fun keep on coming...There better be some raping next chapter, or at least have Sasuke appear so Naruto can confess his love already, then we can start a new arc. "Naruto's love for...CHOUJI?!"

[Assassin]

i dont really think sai's change of heart was too sudden. remember when he grabs kabuto, he says something like 'lets be clear about what side im on'.

at the end of the day, sai is a member of roots, and though they may use unorthodox methods, thier ultimately loyal to konoha. it doesn't really surprise me that, when if comes down to it, sai chooses konoha over oro. since his mission has already been ruined, he has nothing to gain by letting naruto and company die.

[Naruto_RNG]

is it just me or is there some else that thinks that the Oro in the last page is susake somehow? he is just messing with them.
Off topic, I've been wondering this for sometime now, naruto character is based on Kishi himself right? it makes me wonder if he had someone like susake in his life? I mean we get it naruto loves susake, don't have to remind that to us every freaking chapter.

[ChaosK]

Naruto is based of Kishimoto? Well, that answers a lot of questions, but not all of them.

If this whole thing is based on his life, he must've been some loser huh, no acknowledgement, no friends, only one gay boyfriend who ran away from him.

Rough life huh.

[Terracosmo]

I sincerily hope that Sasuke kills Sai.
Maybe then finally Naruto the fucking blockhead will realize that SASUKE AIN'T COMING BACK.

And then they can focus on Akatsuki again.

[heero]

Getting tired of Naruto doing the same thing over and over "affecting ppl's hearts with his feelings". It gets boring after a while. And Naruto needs a reality check. There's nothing he could do to get Sasuke back. And this Oro/Naruto confrontation thing is getting repetitive. I hope something new happens this time. Like Sasuke comes out and meet Naruto AT LAST. Then we can finally move on with the story. And oh, Sai should die.

[Carnage]

It was way too quick how Sai changed his mind........I think he might really help out Oro at the very end is faking all this. But that theory does contradict with him finishing his little book. So if my first guess isnt right, then this is very gay. Somebody better die within the next 2 chapters.

[Sidnne]

I think the thing that has me the most disappointed about the manga is the lack of character progression of the story's main character. I don't care how strong Naruto has become if he is still the same bumbling idiot that he was in chapter 01.

I can't believe that a few chapters ago Naruto still needed to be told that ninjas are supposed to be silent and using a Rasengan to break the boulder would make too much noise and give them away. The main character of the story, who wants to be Hokage, should have a slight clue and not need to have every little thing explained to him constantly.

I'm frustrated by Kishi's inability to take advantage of the time jump by maturing Naruto a little bit. The only thing he managed to accomplish with the time jump was making the characters taller.

[ChaosK]

I'm frustrated by Kishi's inability to take advantage of the time jump by maturing Naruto a little bit. The only thing he managed to accomplish with the time jump was making the characters taller.

And give them bigger breasts

[metrite]

I'm frustrated by Kishi's inability to take advantage of the time jump by maturing Naruto a little bit. The only thing he managed to accomplish with the time jump was making the characters taller.
I might be slow noticing this, but it seems Naruto still can't create an one handed Rasengan.
If I'd have 3 years to train, the first thing I would do is perfect my killer technique/technique I use 24/7.
I wonder what Naruto did learn.

[RyougaZell]

I might be slow noticing this, but it seems Naruto still can't create an one handed Rasengan.
If I'd have 3 years to train, the first thing I would do is perfect my killer technique/technique I use 24/7.
I wonder what Naruto did learn.

Perverted ninjutsu, spying on women's baths and to read properly (using icha icha paradise)?

[kaigan]

Naruto just used Change No Jutsu on Sai. Kishimoto is running out of ideas...

[Konohamaru]

yanno, after seeing Sai finish off the picture, I can't help but think that Oro took the body of Sai's brother to use as his own. Oro had a body with blonde hair once and we saw him take it over in one of the episodes using his jutsu.

I have a strange feeling Oro's gonna let out that secret and Sai's gonna snap or something.

[LobsterMagnet]

yanno, after seeing Sai finish off the picture, I can't help but think that Oro took the body of Sai's brother to use as his own. Oro had a body with blonde hair once and we saw him take it over in one of the episodes using his jutsu.

I have a strange feeling Oro's gonna let out that secret and Sai's gonna snap or something.

That's actually a good theory. Since the body Oro took had grey hair and judging from from the picture it seem as if Sai's brother had grey hair as well. Would be an interesting twist if it turned out to be true that Orchimaro somehow procured sai's brother in his dungeon of evil. Sai goes berzerk and desperately tries to fight oro

[RyougaZell]

Just found out chapter 305 won't come out until next week...
Oh well...

Hmmm... I thought Sai didn't draw the last picture of his brother cause that would meant he had to kill him... or had killed him...

I like the theory of his brother being Oro's current "host". But I don't see it happening sadly.

[Sidnne]

No 305 this week?? Oh the suspense. I can't take it anymore. Please Kishi, don't leave us hanging like this, I need to be sure that Naruto won't be killed by Oro!

[ChaosK]

Just found out chapter 305 won't come out until next week...
Oh well...


Where'd you find this out?

[xDarkMaster]

Where'd you find this out?


It's Goldenweek in Japan if I'm not mistaken. Not much nw should be coming out this week.

[RyougaZell]

Where'd you find this out?

Saw it at the mangahelpers forums.

And what xDarkmaster says makes more sense... if its Golden Week no wonder Negima isn't out either.